Krueger School of Applied Technologies eighth grader Victoria Juarez launches her teams rocket on Friday Oct. 5, 2012 at Isaac's Ranch in Luling, Tx. as part of their practice flight for the Team America Rocketry Challenge. The Team America Rocketry Challenge, which is run by the National Association of Rocketry and the Aerospace Industries Association, is open to 7th through 12th grade students from across the country to design, build, and fly a rocket to an altitude of exactly 750 feet for a flight duration between 48 and 50 seconds while carrying one grade A large egg and return the egg undamaged using a 15 inch diameter parachute. less

Krueger School of Applied Technologies eighth grader Victoria Juarez launches her teams rocket on Friday Oct. 5, 2012 at Isaac's Ranch in Luling, Tx. as part of their practice flight for the Team America ... more

Photo: Edward A. Ornelas, San Antonio Express-News

Photo: Edward A. Ornelas, San Antonio Express-News

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Krueger School of Applied Technologies eighth grader Victoria Juarez launches her teams rocket on Friday Oct. 5, 2012 at Isaac's Ranch in Luling, Tx. as part of their practice flight for the Team America Rocketry Challenge. The Team America Rocketry Challenge, which is run by the National Association of Rocketry and the Aerospace Industries Association, is open to 7th through 12th grade students from across the country to design, build, and fly a rocket to an altitude of exactly 750 feet for a flight duration between 48 and 50 seconds while carrying one grade A large egg and return the egg undamaged using a 15 inch diameter parachute. less

Krueger School of Applied Technologies eighth grader Victoria Juarez launches her teams rocket on Friday Oct. 5, 2012 at Isaac's Ranch in Luling, Tx. as part of their practice flight for the Team America ... more

Students from Harmony Science Academy in Houston are among 100 teams across the country tapped to compete in a national rocketry contest.

The 16th annual Team America Rocketry Challenge aims to encourage students to enter Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields by having middle and high school students design, build and fly rockets, according to a contest news release.

Teams had to fly a rocket carrying two eggs 800 feet and land them back on Earth uncracked in 41 to 43 seconds, the release stated.

The finalists were announced earlier this month, and Harmony is among 10 teams in Texas that made the cut. The other teams are:

Two teams from Harmony Science Academy in Beaumont (different from the Houston team)

Allen Academy of Math and Science in Bryan

Clear Creek High School in League City

Two teams from Presidio Independent School District in Presidio

Engineering & Technologies Academy High School in San Antonio

Theodore Roosevelt High School in San Antonio

Two teams from Seabrook Intermediate School in Seabrook

Frog Pond Academy in Sherman

Two teams from Sherman High School in Sherman

The 100 national finalists (full list can be found here) come from 28 states and Washington, D.C. On May 12, they will compete for more than $100,000 and the chance to represent the United States at the International Rocketry Challenge at the Farnborough Air Show near London this July. Finalists beat out 800 teams from 46 states and Washington, D.C.

The contest is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the National Association of Rocketry, and more than 20 industry partners.

Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.